1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a kind of amusement game system such as a golf amusement game or the like, which can move an object in a virtual field.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is known as such a kind of amusement game, for example, a golf amusement game by which a player can have a virtual reality experience in playing golf utilizing a computer. According to the conventional golf amusement game, a player selects a golf club by preference and hits a ball with it (such hit will also be hereinafter referred to as xe2x80x9cshotxe2x80x9d) on a virtual golf course so as to cause a golf play to progress in a virtual reality manner.
A player can control power, timing and the like for hitting a virtual ball by manipulating a controller or the like, which is attached to an amusement game system, when making a shot. With respect to the most typical procedure for making a shot, the power of shot is expressed by a gauge displayed on a game screen. For example, the game screen has the gauge displayed thereon, which indicates the power of from 0% to 100%, so that a cursor in the gauge can move from the position of 0% to 100% in response to a starting operation for the shot by the player. The player pushes a push button switch of the controller when the cursor reaches a prescribed position. The amusement game system-side computer determines a driving distance of the virtual ball in accordance with the power of the shot, which corresponds to a position to which the cursor comes when the player pushes the push button switch of the controller, so as to move the ball on the virtual golf course. More specifically, the driving distance of the virtual ball is in proportion to a lapse of time from the shot start operation by the player to the push operation of the push button switch.
According to such a conventional golf amusement game, when the player wishes to hit a virtual ball for a shot, it is necessary for him to push the push button switch of the controller when the cursor reaches a position of 20% in the power gauge after completion of a shot start operation.
There is however a limit in pushing the push button switch of the controller when the cursor just reaches the position of 20% in the gauge indicating the power of from 0% to 100%. In addition, the power of the shot is in proportion to a lapse of time. As a result, it becomes more difficult to push the push button switch of the controller when the cursor just reaches a target position, according as the power of the shot becomes smaller.
An object of the present invention, which has been made in view of the above-described matters, is to provide an amusement game system, in which a device for moving accurately an object toward a target position is given to a kind of amusement game system for moving the object toward a target position in a virtual field.
In order to attain the aforementioned object, an amusement game system of the present invention comprises:
a display device for a picture;
an input device for outputting signals according to operation by a player; and
a control device for causing an amusement game to progress and displaying the picture according to a progress of the amusement game on a screen of said display device, said amusement game including a step for moving an object toward a target in a virtual field while making reference to output from said input device,
wherein:
said control device comprises:
a first-instruction detection device for detecting first instruction, which has been input by the player with a use of said input device;
a cursor-movement device for moving a cursor on a graph having a prescribed length when said first instruction is detected, said graph being displayed on said display device and indicating a movement power value of said object;
a second-instruction detection device for detecting second instruction, which has been input by the player with the use of said input device;
a movement power value determination device for determining, when said second instruction is detected, the movement power value of said object on a basis of a lapse of time from the point of time when said first instruction has been detected to a point of time when said second instruction has been detected;
an object movement device for moving said object in the virtual field in accordance with the movement power value thus determined; and
a change instruction detection device for detecting change instruction in a maximum movement power value, which has been input by the player with the use of said input device;
said movement power value determination device determining the movement power value within a range up to a predetermined maximum movement power value, and said movement power value determination device changing said predetermined maximum movement power value and determining the movement power value within the range up to the maximum movement power value thus changed, when said change instruction detection device detects the change instruction in the maximum movement power value.
According to the amusement game system of the present invention having the above-described structural elements, a player inputs the first and second instructions with the use of the input device in order to move the object toward the target in the virtual field. The movement power value for moving the object is displayed in the form of combination of the graph with the cursor within a range, which does not exceed the maximum movement power value. The cursor moves in accordance with the lapse of time after detection of the first instruction so as to make an optical transmission of change in movement power value to the player. When the second instruction is given, the movement power value is determined on the basis of the lapse of time between the point of time when the first instruction has been detected and the point of time when the second instruction has been detected. When the player inputs change instruction in maximum movement power value with the use of the input device, the maximum movement power value is changed and the movement power value for moving the object is determined within a range, which does not exceeds the maximum movement power value as changed. It is therefore possible for the player to change the maximum movement power value in accordance with a scene and a condition in the amusement game, thus permitting an accurate movement of the object to the target position.
An amusement game system of the present invention comprises:
a display device for a picture;
an input device for outputting signals according to operation by a player; and
a control device for causing an amusement game to progress and displaying the picture according to a progress of the amusement game on a screen of said display device, said amusement game including a step for moving an object toward a target in a virtual field while making reference to output from said input device,
wherein:
said control device comprises:
a first-instruction detection device for detecting first instruction, which has been input by the player with a use of said input device;
a movement power value display device for displaying movement power value of said object within a range up to a predetermined maximum movement power value by means of a graph having a prescribed length and a cursor movable on said graph;
a first cursor-movement device for moving said cursor on said graph in a direction indicating said maximum movement power value in accordance with a lapse of time from a point of time when said first instruction has been detected;
a second-instruction detection device for detecting second instruction, which has been input by the player with the use of said input device;
a movement power value determination device for determining the movement power value of said object on a basis of a lapse of time from the point of time when said first instruction has been detected to a point of time when said second instruction has been detected;
a second cursor-movement device for moving said cursor toward a standard position on said graph, after detection of said second instruction;
a third-instruction detection device for detecting third instruction, which has been input by the player with the use of said input device;
a movement direction factor determination device for determining a factor associated with a movement direction of said object, in accordance with timing at which said cursor reaches said standard position and with timing at which said third instruction is input,
a movement device for moving said object in the virtual field in accordance with said movement power value as determined and said factor associated with the movement direction of said object
a change instruction detection device for detecting change instruction in a maximum movement power value, which has been input by the player with the use of said input device; and
a maximum movement power value change device for changing said predetermined maximum movement power value when the change instruction in the maximum movement power value is detected.
According to the amusement game system of the present invention having the above-described structural elements, a player inputs the first, second and third instructions with the use of the input device in order to move the object toward the target in the virtual field. The movement power value for moving the object is displayed in the form of combination of the graph with the cursor within a range, which does not exceed the maximum movement power value. The cursor moves in accordance with the lapse of time after detection of the first instruction so as to make an optical transmission of change in movement power value to the player. When the second instruction is given, the movement power value is determined on the basis of the lapse of time between the point of time when the first instruction has been detected and the point of time when the second instruction has been detected. The cursor then moves toward the standard position on the graph. The player inputs the third instruction when he perceives that the cursor reaches the standard position. The factor associated with the movement direction of the object is determined in accordance with the timing at which the cursor actually reaches the standard position and the timing at which the third instruction by the player is given. The object moves in the virtual field in accordance with the movement power value as determined and the determined factor associated with the movement direction of the object. When the player inputs the change instruction in maximum movement power value with the use of the input device, the maximum movement power value is changed so that the movement power value for moving the object is determined within the range, which does not exceed the maximum movement power value as changed. It is therefore possible for the player to change the maximum-movement power value in accordance with a scene and a condition in the amusement game, thus permitting an accurate movement of the object to the target position.
The above-mentioned maximum movement power value as changed may be smaller than the predetermined maximum movement power value. According to this feature, it is possible for the player to decrease the maximum movement power value in accordance with a scene and a condition in the amusement game, thus permitting an accurate movement of the object to the target position.
The above-mentioned maximum movement power value as changed may be identical to half of the predetermined maximum movement power value. According to this feature, it is possible for the player to halve the maximum movement power value in accordance with a scene and a condition in the amusement game, thus permitting an accurate movement of the object to the target position.
There may be adopted a structure in which the graph indicates the movement power value within a range of from 0% to 100%, and the predetermined maximum movement power value corresponds to the movement power value of 100%; and after detection of the change instruction in the maximum movement power value, the graph indicates the movement power value within a range of from 0% to 50%, and the predetermined maximum movement power value as changed corresponds to the movement power value of 50%. According to this feature, it is possible to grasp the movement power value in a ratio even when different kinds of procedures are taken to move the object, thus leading to easy adjustment and determination of the movement power value by the player.
The position of the graph, which indicates the movement power value of 100%, may also indicate the movement power value of 50% after detection of the change instruction in the maximum movement power value. According to this feature, resolution of the graph after changing the maximum movement power value becomes higher than that of the graph before changing it. As a result, it is possible to improve accuracy in a point at which the player inputs the instruction, relative to the target point, thus permitting an accurate movement of the object to the target position.
The movement velocity of the cursor moving on the graph after detection of the change instruction in the maximum movement power value may be identical to the movement velocity of the cursor moving on the graph before detection of the change instruction in the maximum movement power value. According to this feature, the movement velocity of the cursor (i.e., the movement distance of the cursor/time) before change in the maximum movement power value is identical to the movement velocity thereof after change in it, with the result that the movement time of the cursor relative to a unit value of power (%), after change in the maximum movement power value, becomes longer than that before change in it, thus making it possible for the player to input the instruction in a sufficient period of time. It is therefore possible to improve accuracy in a point at which the player inputs the instruction, relative to the target point, thus permitting an accurate movement of the object to the target position.
The above-mentioned amusement game may be an amusement golf game including a step for moving a ball toward the target in the virtual field. According to this feature, it is possible to move a ball to a target position in an accurate manner.
A computer-readable storage medium of the present invention comprises a program stored therein, said program causing an amusement game to progress and displaying a picture according to a progress of the amusement game on a screen of a display device, said amusement game including a step for moving an object toward a target in a virtual field while making reference to output from an input device of an amusement game apparatus,
wherein:
said program causes a computer provided in said amusement game apparatus to function respectively as:
a first-instruction detection device for detecting first instruction, which has been input by the player with a use of said input device;
a cursor-movement device for moving a cursor on a graph having a prescribed length when said first instruction is detected, said graph being displayed on said display device and indicating a movement power value of said object;
a second-instruction detection device for detecting second instruction, which has been input by the player with the use of said input device;
a movement power value determination device for determining, when said second instruction is detected, the movement power value of said object on a basis of a lapse of time from the point of time when said first instruction has been detected to a point of time when said second instruction has been detected;
an object movement device for moving said object in the virtual field in accordance with the movement power value thus determined; and
a change instruction detection device for detecting change instruction in a maximum movement power value, which has been input by the player with the use of said input device;
said movement power value determination device determining the movement power value within a range up to a predetermined maximum movement power value, and said movement power value determination device changing said predetermined maximum movement power value and determining the movement power value within the range up to the maximum movement power value thus changed, when said change instruction detection device detects the change instruction in the maximum movement power value.
According to the storage medium of the present invention, it is possible to cause the computer to function as the control device in the amusement game system of the present invention by reading the program by means of the computer so as to make execution of the program. The storage media may include magnetic storage medium, optical storage medium, photo-electro-magnetic storage medium, semiconductor storage element and other storage device.
A computer-readable storage medium of the present invention comprises a program stored therein, said program causing an amusement game to progress and displaying a picture according to a progress of the amusement game on a screen of a display device, said amusement game including a step for moving an object toward a target in a virtual field while making reference to output from an input device of an amusement game apparatus,
wherein:
said program causes a computer provided in said amusement game apparatus to function respectively as:
a first-instruction detection device for detecting first instruction, which has been input by the player with a use of said input device;
a movement power value display device for displaying movement power value of said object within a range up to a predetermined maximum movement power value by means of a graph and a cursor movable on said graph;
a first cursor-movement device for moving said cursor on said graph in a direction indicating said maximum movement power value in accordance with a lapse of time from a point of time when said first instruction has been detected;
a second-instruction detection device for detecting second instruction, which has been input by the player with the use of said input device;
a movement power determination device for determining the movement power value of said object on a basis of a lapse of time from the point of time when said first instruction has been detected to a point of time when said second instruction has been detected;
a second cursor-movement device for moving said cursor toward a standard position on said graph, after detection of said second instruction;
a third-instruction detection device for detecting third instruction, which has been input by the player with the use of said input device;
a movement direction factor determination device for determining a factor associated with a movement direction of said object, in accordance with timing at which said cursor reaches said standard position and with timing at which said third instruction is input,
a movement device for moving said object in said virtual field in accordance with said movement power value as determined and said factor associated with the movement direction of said object;
a change instruction detection device for detecting change instruction in a maximum movement power value, which has been input by the player with the use of said input device; and
a maximum power value change device for changing said predetermined maximum movement power value, when change instruction in the maximum movement power value has detected.
According to the storage medium of the present invention, it is possible to cause the computer to function as the control device in the amusement game system of the present invention by reading the program by means of the computer so as to make execution of the program. The storage media may include magnetic storage medium, optical storage medium, photo-electro-magnetic storage medium, semiconductor storage element and other storage device.